Blackburn may have given Manchester City a scare two weeks ago, but once the clubs’ FA Cup third round tie shifted to Eastlands, Rovers saw their upset dreams dissipate within minutes of halftime. With two goals each from Álvaro Negredo and Edin Dzeko, the Citizens posted a 5-0 victory over their Championship opposition, extending their unbeaten run to 16 games while clinching a spot in the FA Cup’s fourth round.

Returning from injury, Sergio Agüero came off the bench to add a goal, with City’s four-goal second half setting up a Jan. 25 meeting with Watford in the competition’s next round. Scoring five-or-more goals for the seventh time this season, City put their first leg scare behind them, their stalemate at Blackburn only the second time since mid-November the Citizens have been held to a draw.

On Jan. 4, the teams played to a 1-1 stalemate at Ewood Park, with Scott Dann’s first half goal pulling back the stoppage time opener Álvaro Negredo found just before halftime. The defender’s goal set up a lucrative replay in Manchester, where the second-tier club will split today’s gate at the Etihad Stadium.

Even after that tough match in Lancashire, Citizens’ boss Manuel Pellegrini used tonights match as a chance to rest some key players. Costel Pantillimon was in goal. The defense featured all of Joleon Lescott, Matija Nastasic, and Micah Richards, and James Milner and Javi Garcia got starts in midfield. While those are still talents that eclipse what most teams can offer, this was still a day of rest for many of City’s stars.

Regardless, City exerted control early, but unable to convert possession into chances, their’s was the type of benign control that allowed a potentially overwhelmed opponent to build into the match. By the middle of the first half, Blackburn began showing signs of life, occasionally venturing toward City’s penalty area as the field began to level.

Just before halftime, however, City broke through when a cross from the right by Fernandinho hammered home by Álvaro Negredo, the Citizens’ strike allowed to run into the ball at the edge of the six-yard box. Two minutes into the second half, Negredo ran behind the defense and onto an Aleksandr Kolarov ball, easily doubling his team’s league with his 21st goal of the season.

Then the onslaught came. Edin Dezko would add a third in the 67th, converting after a ball from Jesus Navas. Sergio Agüero, returning after a four-week layoff, gave Dzeko an assist with a 73rd minute left-footer from the middle of the area. Dzeko added a second in the 79th, again set up by Navas. Where Blackburn had given a strong account of themselves over the first 40 minutes, the second half made them into typical Manchester City roadkill.

But the end of the match, James Milner was playing in central midfield. Twenty-year-old Emyr Huws was at right back. City had again tilted the field, turning the game into what you’d expect when one of the world’s most expensive squads faces second-tier competition.

Come Jan. 25, City will again be facing a Championship side, with Watford drawn against the Citizens for a match at the Etihad. In all likelihood, the game will provide another chance for Manuel Pellegrini to rest his starters. And in all likelihood, that won’t prevent City from cruising into the next round.

Leicester City pulled out a 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion at the King Power Stadium, however, the Foxes remain in the bottom three of the Premier League.

Riyad Mahrez had plenty of chances on the day, and he rescued his side with 10 minutes remaining after powering home a strike into the far corner. The goal marks the Algerian’s first of the 2017/18 campaign.

Despite a frustrating opening hour, the visitors led on 63 minutes when Nacer Chadli curled home a brilliant free kick that left Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel stunned.

For the Belgium international, Chadli becomes West Brom’s seventh different goalscorer of the season.

Leicester nearly came out flying in the second stanza whenMahrez had an open chance in the center of the Baggies penalty area, however, the Algerian winger’s left-footed attempt was too high to hit the target.